SUBJECT
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A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Laredo, Texas, authorizing the City Manager to accept a grant in the amount of $3,125,000.00 from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) Program. The City of Laredo will utilize this funding to hire 25 new police officers for a period of three years. The 2024 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) grant provides a maximum federal share of $125,000.00 per officer position of the approved entry level salaries and fringe benefits of each newly hired and/or rehired full time sworn career law enforcement officer over the three years grant period. The City of Laredo is required to provide a matching contribution of $4,801,000.00 from the General Fund, which will be allocated across Fiscal Years 2025, 2026, and 2027. This brings the total project budget to $7,926,000.00. Funding is available in the Special Police Fund - COPS Hiring Program.
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PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION
Resolution 2024-R-152 was approved by Council on May 06, 2024 to submit grant application.
BACKGROUND
Over twenty-five years after the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 was signed into Law, the COPS Office continues to support the efforts of law enforcement agencies across the country as they develop creative and innovative ways to deal with long standing community problems and public safety issues. Since the date of establishment of the COPS Office the U.S. Department of Justice has invested $20 billion in community policing. It has funded the addition of nearly 136,000 officers to over 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to advance community policing in small and large jurisdictions across the nation. CHP grant funds must not be used to supplant (replace) local funds, that agencies otherwise would have devoted to sworn officer hiring. The hiring or rehiring of officers under CHP must be in addition to, and not in lieu of, officers who otherwise would have been hired or rehired with state, local, or federal funds.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
N/A
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Recommends that City Council approves this resolution.
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Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Year: 2025
Budgeted Y/N?: Y
Source of Funds: Special Police Fund
Account #: 229-2354
Change Order: Exceeds 25% Y/N: N/A
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) Program grant portion fund will
$3,125,000.00 and the remaining $4,801,000.00 must be provided as local match.
Funding is available in the Special Police Fund - COPS Hiring Program.